The Truth about Moving Overseas as a Nurse

Hi everyone!

I’m not going to sugar coat it – moving country is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done; there were many days where I questioned if I had made the right decision. My journey to registering as a nurse in the UK will be a long one. However 9 months later, I am still living in England, and I love my new home. Here are 6 things I wish I knew before moving…

1. The first few weeks (or months) will probably be awful

The culture shock of living in a new place is bad enough – combine that with finding a job, a place to live, meeting new people, missing your family and old friends… it can be pretty overwhelming. The first few weeks and months are hard. I wish I could tell you the magic answer to cure this but there is no way around it. You just have to hang in there and get through it.

There will be days when you want to get on a flight and go home, and there will be days that you will love your new life and you wondered why you didn’t move years ago.

Give yourself plenty of time to adjust and be kind to yourself. Remember that it’s normal to feel sad, scared and alone. You aren’t being ungrateful, you are being human! You have gone through a big change and your mind and body are adjusting.

It might take a few weeks, or even a few months, but I promise it will get better. The homesickness will fade as you create a new home for yourself and meet new people.

If you have read my other posts, you will know I’ve realised that home is a feeling, not a place. Once you accept this, you can be happy and content no matter where in the world you are.

2. Pack light.

Shopping in England is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I would recommend selling most of your clothes before you get here, and visiting H&M, Zara, and TopShop. The clothes are cheap here, and the fashion is quite different too. Cold months far outweigh the warm months, so invest in some good coats, jeans, and staple t-shirts. You only need the essentials, you can get everything you need when you move here.

It’s freeing moving to a new place with only a few items. I haven’t worn half the clothes I brought over from NZ!

So sell up the clothes you never wear, and save the money to splash out on some new threads when you get here.

3. Get ready to go with the flow

I look back at all the times I used to get stressed about little changes. I used to be so uptight and worried about everything.  I am an organised person, I love lists, tidiness, and making future plans. Well… that went out the window when I moved to England.

I have resigned myself to the fact I probably don’t even know what I’m eating for breakfast in an hour, let alone what I’ll be doing this time next year.

I guess part of that is being a rugby girlfriend – accepting that we may need to move again if another contract is offered to Cian. I take each day as it comes, and try to live in the moment as much as possible. As I get older, I realise how little I really know about my life and what direction it will take. If I have learned anything in the last 24 years, it is that life is unpredictable, so you should go with the flow and enjoy everything as it comes. I am still tidy and organised, but I try not to get stressed when things don’t go my way. Everything will work out in the end.

4. Making friends is difficult

Can we all just appreciate how hard it is making friends as an adult?

If you are anything like me (a hermit and a creature of predictability), you will struggle making friends. I am the sort of person who has a small circle. I don’t like being friends with 50 different people at once, it gets too confusing and I don’t have the energy for it!

It astounds me how many people come to England, only to meet up with and be friends with people they know from back home. Isn’t the whole point of moving to the UK is to MEET NEW PEOPLE, and experience new things?! If you just bring over your whole crew from your old country, you are closing yourself off to new friendships.

My advice would be to get out as much as possible and talk to everyone you can. Chat to people at the beach, festivals, events, and even at the supermarket. You can join clubs that interest you, or join a sports team to meet new people. Hopefully you can make some friends at work, too.

I’m very lucky in this area because Cian is part of a rugby club, which means I immediately become friends with the girlfriend and wives of the other players. Within the first few days here I was hanging out with them, going on beach adventures, drinking wine, and heading to brunch. I am friends with a few kiwi girls, but they are mostly English.

5. Living abroad is not an extended holiday

After the excitement of living in a new country wears off, you might find yourself disappointed. Life here really isn’t that different to life in New Zealand. It is not always exciting or interesting living in England.

You might dream about moving to England, and becoming the sequel to Notting Hill. You probably won’t bump into Hugh Grant in a bookstore and fall in love, and you most likely won’t be flying to Paris every weekend to eat snails under the Eiffel tower.

You will get a job and commute to work every day, pay rent, and realise that life over here isn’t that different after all.

6. There is a major communication barrier

If I had a dollar every time I got a confused look when I started speaking, I’d be a bazillionaire by now.

Here is pretty much every conversation with a Brit: Yes I know I have an accent. I moved to the UK 6 months ago. No I’m not from Australia. Yes we speak English in New Zealand. Yes I will repeat myself 5 times until you understand what I mean. No I won’t say “Deck” or “Eggs” so you can laugh at me!!

Who knew that moving to England as someone who is fluent in English, would struggle so much being understood!

7. Nothing lasts forever

Nothing lasts forever, and there is a lesson to be learned in everything. You will have your ups and downs, but remember you will always come out the other side a stronger person! Enjoy your time in your new country. Travel. Explore. Meet people. Make mistakes. Learn a new language/skill/hobby. Most importantly – HAVE FUN!! You are on the adventure of a life time. Make the most of it.

Liv x